


Isolate

by softSnowdrop



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-25 01:46:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12520180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softSnowdrop/pseuds/softSnowdrop
Summary: Keith had always been one to isolate himself--it happened when you were used to being alone. He always wanted to belong, but that kind of got harder after his brother just vanished.Takes place right after season two.





	Isolate

     Shiro disappearing hit him hard—the other paladins tried to find some sort of comfort in the victory that they had landed, but Keith, on the other hand, couldn't find a _bit_ of solace in it. He felt nothing except for a void—the first person that had made him feel like he was wanted, that he was cared about—his _brother_ —had simply vanished.

     Everything had been tense before that moment, and every part of Keith prayed, hoped, and pleaded with whatever god was listening, that his brother was safe and in the black lion.

 

     To everyone's surprise, Keith stayed silent as he pushed past the others to go back to his room. He stayed in there for days, only coming out in the dead of night when he was hungry—he would bump into Pidge, or occasionally Allura—both of which would try to speak to him, try to get a response, but the fact he would just look away, and keep moving silently on told them everything that they needed to know:

     That he just didn't want to talk.

 

     From his perspective, it wasn't that he just didn't _want_ to talk, he just couldn't bring himself to, not right now. He had gone nonverbal the moment that the gravity of the situation hit him, and any time that he opened his mouth past that? He thought he was going to break down sobbing, forcing out an incoherent jumble of words to whoever was next to him.

     Since he was being forced into the leadership position, he reasoned that wouldn't go over well with the others.

 

     It couldn't really be helped when he heard a knock on his door. Everyone else was asleep right now, or at the least, they _should_ be. He didn't respond, he didn't move. A part of him begged that they left him alone, and then another part of him begged that whoever was on the other side of the door stayed.

     “Hey! Keith, open up! It's me, Lance!” The boy on the other side hit the door again and again—not forcefully, but just a little bit louder than the first time. “Can we talk? I think we need to talk!”

 

     He didn't want to, not right now. He didn't think he had it in him, but despite every ounce of pain in his heart, he still cared deeply about Lance—and god, if he was going to just lay there, wallowing and ignoring him, then he'd rather be dead. He knew Lance would understand it if he didn't talk, anyway. He knew that Lance would do his best to be patient.

     So he forced himself to stand and walk to the door—his joints cracking and his body aching as he stood to his feet. He hadn't exactly moved much in the past few days. By the time he had opened the door, Lance had started knocking again—and had even started to speak again.

     “Keith. Seriously, we're all _really_ worried about yo—oh.” He blinked, surprised to see the heavy-hearted boy in front of him. “Geez, you look like you haven't seen sleep in _days_ , dude.”

     Keith only gave a forced shrug in return, and slumped back onto his bed. He didn't lay down this time, but instead he pulled his knees to his chest, and draped his arms around them.

     Lance hesitated—this wasn't anything like the Keith he knew, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying. Ever. “Mind if I uh. Is it okay if I sit next to you?”

     Keith gazed up, and gave the tiniest of nods before burrowing his face back into his arms. He relaxed a little when Lance sat next to him—close enough to where he could feel the other's warmth.

     It was something he hadn't really felt in awhile. _It would probably help if I got out and_ \-- Keith's thoughts were interrupted.

     “Keith? I'm not gonna make you leave your room if you don't want to, but I think it'd probably help if you got out for a bit? When you're ready. You know, spend some time with us? Hunk's worried, too, but he's been too anxious to come to your door.”

     Keith looked up at him again, opening his mouth to speak, but he couldn't find the words to respond to that.

     “Hey... You know we're here for you, right? I'm here for you, and so is everyone else. Do you wanna tell me what's up?”

 

     It took Keith just a moment to register just what Lance had asked. _Do you wanna tell me what's up? Do you want to talk about what's wrong?_ It wasn't something he had heard much, not before he had met the other paladins. Pidge had asked him in the hallway one night if he wanted to talk, but he only gave her the cold shoulder, brushed her off, and kept going.

     God, he felt _awful_ for that.

     But here Lance was, the angel that he has _always_ been, offering to listen to Keith vent.

     "Take your time, okay? Like, if you don't _want_ to talk to me, you _don't_ have to, but... Just know that I'll listen."

 

     Keith gave a small nod at his reassurance. He averted his gaze from the other's rather intent locked-on stare, and took a deep breath.

     “I'm afraid that nobody else will have me.” He murmured, his words muffled by his arm. He didn't look up to see Lance's reaction, he didn't want to keep talking, but the words had just started to pour out. “I've been alone most of my life, Lance. I've never had a concrete home, a concrete family, and now that Shiro's gone—literally the only thing I've ever had that I've been able to consider my family—he's just _gone_ , Lance, and now I'm scared that I won't be a good enough leader for you guys, and I'm scared that you just won't have me anymore.”

 

     Lance froze. That was a mouthful, coming from Keith. He looked around, taking a deep breath, and giving out the quickest: “Give me a second to think, okay, buddy?” that he could.

     At this point, his mind was racing—he wanted to reassure Keith that he could relate, that he was always worried about being left behind, that he was always worried about being the seventh wheel—but he didn't want to seem like it was all about him. Not now, of all times.

     He thought to himself, and found the words that he would need to hear at his lowest. Words that he felt like Keith would tell him. “Keith. We'll _always_ have you.” He slowly moved an arm around the other's shoulder—and he was pretty surprised when the gesture caused the other to relax. “Where would we be without you? You've always got a family, and you've always got a home with us. No matter what, alright?”

 

     Keith felt his lip quiver—sure it was pressed to his arm, but it still quivered, and there was no way that he could stop the tears from stinging his eyes.

     “Uh, Keith? Holy shit, did I say something wrong? I'm sor--”

     “No, Lance, it's fine.” Keith raised his head, resting his chin on his arms while he smiled at the other. “Really, you didn't say anything wrong. Thanks, for everything.”

 

     Lance felt the panic that had risen in his chest wash away—just a bit, at least. He couldn't exactly get his racing heart to calm down as quickly as his anxiety had, though. “Hey, do you just. Want me to stay in here tonight? Whenever I'm really upset over this kinda thing, being alone is the last thing that I want.”

     Keith gave another slight nod in response. “Yeah—thanks, Lance. I just. Really don't need to be alone right now.”

     Lance pulled him closer, now putting both arms around him. “I gotchya, buddy. Trust me, you're never gonna be alone, not with all of us around.”

 

     A small smile tugged at Keith's lips. “Yeah. I believe that, Lance.”

 

     Seeing the smile, Lance rolled his eyes a bit and gave the other a light push, of course, keeping his arms around him. “Hey, now, next time you're upset over something, don't just isolate yourself, okay? Seriously, if you don't wanna come to all of us, find someone to go to. Even if you can't talk yet, just be around them if you can.”

     “Yeah, alright.” His smile grew a bit more at the other's concerned suggestion, and Lance could've even sworn that he had heard a quiet laugh catching in the other's throat.

     It was just a relief to see Keith a little bit better, honestly.

 

**Author's Note:**

> When I have it in me, I wanna write another one; one where Keith comforts Lance. So... Until then, here's this.


End file.
